Profiled cross-section three dimensional woven fabric

ABSTRACT

A profiled cross-section three-dimensional woven fabric having a plurality of woven, mutually intersecting filaments woven in longitudinal, transverse and vertical planes, with transverse planes of different widths and vertical planes of different height within a cross-section of the woven fabric perpendicular to the longitudinal woven filament planes. The woven filament in the transverse planes moving upward or downward while transversely reciprocating over a width which changes with the width of the woven filaments in each longitudinal woven plane and being disposed between vertically adjacent planes of longitudinal filaments. The woven filaments in the vertical planes moving longitudinally to the height of disposition of the longitudinal and transverse filaments in a plane perpendicular to the transverse filaments and being continuously disposed between longitudinally adjacent layers of transverse filaments, clamping the transverse and longitudinal filaments to unite them together. An even number of transverse filaments are inserted into at least one each transversely elongated transverse space surrounded by vertically adjacent vertical filaments with one or a plurality of the transverse filaments inserted into each loop formed by adjacent vertical filaments above the longitudinal filaments in the uppermost layer and below the longitudinal filaments in the lowermost layer.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 07/802,708 filed Dec. 6,1991 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,020, a continuation of application Ser. No.07/311,251 filed Feb. 16, 1989, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a profiled cross-section three-dimensionalwoven fabric, such as a woven fabric having an I-shaped, T-shaped,L-shaped, U-shaped, or otherwise shaped, cross-section, and providing atextile structure suitable for use as a fiber-reinforced compositematerial such as fiber-reinforced plastic composite material or a wovenfabric, three-dimensional structure, such as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7hereof, for use as an insert core or piece for insertion in a voidformed at a portion where laminated webs bend in an I or invertedT-shaped beam fabricated from laminated webs such as shown in U.S. Pat.No. 4,331,723 and Japanese patent laid open application No. 64-75266.

2. Description of Related Art

Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Specification No. Showa62-79900 shows a three-dimensional woven fabric having a profiledcross-section which comprises intersecting longitudinal, transverse andvertical woven filaments. FIG. 8 of the present application is across-sectional view showing an example of such known three-dimensionalwoven fabric, wherein a number of filaments X are longitudinallydisposed in horizontal and vertical parallel planes of differing widthto form an I-shape configuration. One transverse filament Y moves upwardwhile transversely reciprocating over a range which varies inconformance with the width of the planes of longitudinal filaments X,until it passes over the upper most plane of longitudinal filaments Xand then moves downward while transversely reciprocating in conformancewith the planes of the longitudinal filaments X. Such movement isrepeated to continuously dispose planes of the transverse horizontalfilament Y between vertically adjacent planes of longitudinal filamentsX and passes over the outer most ends of the horizontal filament Xplanes. On the other hand, a vertical filament Z moves longitudinallywhile vertically reciprocating in a plane perpendicular to thetransverse horizontal filament Y over a range corresponding to theheight of the various planes of the longitudinal filaments X and thelengths of the planes of the transverse filaments Y, and is continuouslydisposed between longitudinally planes formed by the Y filaments inadjacent Y filament horizontal planes. The transverse horizontalfilaments Y and longitudinal filaments X are tightened together.

In the three-dimensional woven fabric of such Japanese Utility ModelApplication '900 as shown in FIG. 8A, the vertical filament Z iscontinuously disposed between longitudinally planes formed by the Yfilaments in adjacent Y filament horizontal planes, and transverse andvertical filaments Y and Z are disposed alternately along onelongitudinal filament X. Thus, when the transverse filament Y, as shownin FIG. 8, reaches the end of the horizontal filament X plane, and turnsto the back of the paper of FIG. 8, i.e., follows the same course, butin the reverse direction, a gap 1 between adjacent horizontal planes ofX filaments is left at the opposite sides of the woven three-dimensionalfabric. Hence, an unsymmetrical cross-section is formed. Thus, there areformed longitudinal grooves (gaps) 1 at the upper left and lower rightend edges of the three-dimensional woven unit where a longitudinalfilament X and a loop of transverse filament Y surrounding the same aremissing. This raises a problem that, when the structure is impregnatedwith a synthetic resin to manufacture a fiber-reinforced compositematerial, the longitudinal gaps 1 form resin reservoirs which causemicrocracks.

Further, when the transverse filament Y reaching the upper end, whiletransversely reciprocating, is turned to the back of the paper, as shownin FIGS. 9 and 10, and returns to the lower side of the longitudinalfilaments X, then there are formed transverse grooves (gaps) 2, FIG. 10,in the upper and lower surfaces which, when the structure is impregnatedwith resin, form resin reservoirs which also causes microcracks.

Conventionally, when the transverse filament Y is turned at transverselyopposite ends, it wraps around the longitudinal filament X leaving thelongitudinal filament X intermediate above the wrapped filament X free.Thus, as shown in FIG. 11, the region which is narrow, because of thefree X filament, is vertically elongated by tension on the transversefilament Y, upsetting the texture of the woven fabric.

In this invention, a three-dimensional profiled cross-section wovenfabric is provided, which is easy to weave without forming longitudinaland transverse grooves, such as grooves 1 and 2 in the prior art ofFIGS. 8-11. Furthermore, this invention also provides athree-dimensional woven fabric construction for reinforcing portionswhich are narrow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the instant invention, the number of transverse and verticalfilaments Y and Z disposed along one longitudinal filament X is suchthat above the longitudinal filaments in the uppermost X filament planesand below the longitudinal filaments X in the lowermost X filamentplane, the filaments Y and Z, each as single filaments or pluralfilaments, alternate with each other, such that, in the other portions,an even number of transverse filaments Y and one vertical filament Zalternate with each other. The three dimensional woven fabric of thisinvention has a profiled cross section and is characterized by having aneven number of transverse filaments included in at least one eachtransverse plane between corresponding longitudinal planes, and whereinat least one of the transverse filaments is included in a loop which isformed by adjacent vertical filaments above the longitudinal filamentsin the uppermost longitudinal plane, and below the longitudinalfilaments in the lowermost longitudinal plane.

The fabric is woven by successively shedding, one layer after another.Starting from the upper layer, longitudinal filaments are disposed inlocally transversely differing heights, or planes, and the transversefilament is inserted into a shed by a shuttle, alternately from oppositesides. One layer after another is shedded from the lower layer, orplane, and when the lowermost layer or plane is reached, the transversefilament is inserted into the same shed but in the opposite direction.

For the vertical filament, a separate shedding motion is effected foreach portion of longitudinal filaments differing in height from theimmediately preceding portions. Each time the transverse filament makesone vertical reciprocating movement, while moving in zigzags, upper andlower positions are exchanged so that weaving proceeds. In addition,depending upon the shape of the cubic woven fabric, instead of effectingbeating motion, it is possible to use a beating bar, as described inJapanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 296143/1986,thereby effecting beating motion each time the second transversefilament is inserted into a single shed, and exchanging the upper andlower positions of vertical filaments. A clamping bar is then insertedbetween the vertical and longitudinal filaments and is advanced to thefront of the fell for clamping. A woven fabric of high density can beobtained.

By disposing a locking filament adapted to be shed by a heald wire onone transverse side, inserting the transverse filament from the sideopposite to the locking filament, with the locking filament disposedbelow the shed, and moving the locking filament, alone, above the shedso as to insert the transverse filament into the same shed in its turnedstate, it is possible, in a further embodiment of the invention, toinsert two transverse filaments into each shed and wrap the transversefilaments around the locking filament.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view, partly in section, of thefabric of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a sectional view taken along the line II--II in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2B is an enlarged perspective view, partly in section, of thefabric of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C is an enlarged perspective view, similar to FIG. 2B, in furthersection;

FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along the line III--III in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3B is a partial plan view, to an enlarged scale, of the fabricstructure of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is a top view, to an enlarged scale, of the fabric structure ofFIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the principal portion of anotherembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4B is an enlarged perspective view of the portion of the fabricdesignated A in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V--V in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI--VI in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the principal portion of stillanother embodiment;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional, views of prior art examples;

FIG. 8A is an isometric view of the fabric of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line X--X in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a narrow vertical portion in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic side view of a weaving machine for producingthe fabric of the instant invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are an example of an I-section comprising a verticalportion A in the middle of horizontal portions B, C, D and E at the leftand right of the upper and lower opposite ends of vertical portion A.Longitudinal filaments X, in horizontal planes of different lengths, aredisposed in the portion A in four vertical rows. In the upper lefthorizontal portion B, upper right horizontal portion C, lower lefthorizontal portion D and lower right horizontal portion E, longitudinalfilaments X are disposed in three layers each. The transverse filament Ymoves downward while transversely reciprocating, horizontally, over theentire width across the upper right horizontal portion C, the portionabove the vertical portion A and the upper left horizontal portion B,then moves downward, while horizontally reciprocating over the narrowerwidth of the middle portion of the vertical portion A, further movesdownward while horizontally reciprocating over the entire width acrossthe lower right horizontal portion E, the portion below the verticalportion A and the lower left horizontal portion D. Transverse filament Ythen passes to the back of the paper from one end of the lower lefthorizontal portion D, and is inserted to extend side by side in the samespace with the portion of the transverse filament Y confined betweenupper and lower adjacent longitudinal filaments X and between adjacentvertical filaments Z, inserted during the downward travel, and movesupward while transversely reciprocating (see FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3Band 3C). On the other hand, the vertical filaments Z are disposed eachbetween adjacent longitudinal filaments X in each of the upper and lowerleft and right horizontal portions B, C, D and E. Each time thetransverse filament Y makes one vertical reciprocating travel, whilemoving in zigzags, adjacent vertical filaments Z move vertically, inmutually opposite directions, to clamp the transverse filaments Y in thevertical portion A and horizontal portions B, C, D, and E. Thetransverse filaments Y, in turn, clamp the longitudinal filaments X.This procedure is repeated until a three-dimensional woven fabric ofI-shaped cross-section is woven.

Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C and 3A, 3B, and 3C, an evennumber of transverse filaments Y are inserted in each transverse spacesurrounded by vertically adjacent longitudinal filaments X and adjacentvertical filaments Z, while one or a plurality of transverse filaments Yare inserted into each loop defined by adjacent vertical filaments Zabove the uppermost layer and below the longitudinal filaments X in thelowermost layer. In addition, in the case where there is a portion whichis narrow, a locking filament T, see FIGS. 4A and 4B, is disposed alongone transverse edge in the cross-section, and the turned end of thetransverse filament is wrapped around such locking filament.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5 and 6 show an example in which the width of the portion,where the vertical portion A intersects the horizontal portions D and E,is increased, stepwise for reinforcement, while a locking filament T isadded. That is, longitudinal filaments X are disposed in two rows in themain body (upper end, as seen in FIG. 4A) of the vertical portion A andsuccessively in four rows, six rows and eight rows, therebelow, thusforming a staircase-like portion Ab. Then the lower left and righthorizontal portions D and E of four layers are formed. The transversefilament Y, inserted from the left and below the longitudinal filamentsX in the lowermost layer, is inserted from the lower right into a shedwhich is one layer above, and upon reaching the left end, is wrappedaround the locking filament T and then inserted into the same shed inthe opposite direction. This procedure is repeated for weaving so thatthe transverse filament Y moves in zigzags and moves upward, whiledecreasing the zigzag width corresponding to the width of disposition oflongitudinal filaments X. Each time the filament Y makes onereciprocating travel, it engages the locking filament T at the left endand, when it reaches the uppermost layer, the transverse filament Ychanges direction for downward movement and the locking filament T isturned downward.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, if the lower horizontalportions D and E are omitted, a T-shaped three-dimensional woven fabricis obtained; if the upper left and right horizontal portions B and C andlower left horizontal portion D are omitted, an L-shapedthree-dimensional woven fabric is obtained; and, if the upper and lowerleft horizontal portions B and D are omitted, a U-shapedthree-dimensional woven fabric is obtained. And in these "I", "T", "L"and "U" shaped three-dimensional woven fabrics, a staircase-like portionAb, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, can be provided inside the intersectionbetween the vertical portion A and horizontal portions B, C, D and E toreinforce the intersection. Further, in the embodiment of FIGS. 4A and4B, the locking filament T may be disposed only in the narrow portion ofthe width of disposition of longitudinal filaments X or may be disposedthroughout the height. Further, in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1through 6, a single transverse filament Y has been verticallyreciprocated throughout the height, while transversely reciprocating.However, the transverse filament may be locally changed. For example, inthe I-shaped three-dimensional woven fabric of FIGS. 1A and 1B, it ispossible to use a first transverse filament Y to weave the upper lefthorizontal portion B, the upper end of the vertical portion A and theupper right horizontal portion C, a second transverse filament Y toweave the middle portion of the vertical portion A and a thirdtransverse filament Y to weave the lower left horizontal portion D, thelower end of the vertical portion A and the lower right horizontalportion E.

FIG. 7 shows an example in which the width of the portion where thevertical portion A intersects the horizontal portions D and E isstepwise increased for reinforcement, and a locking filament T isdisposed in the narrow portion of the vertical portion A, while using atransverse filament Y2 in such narrow portion different from atransverse filament Y1 in another portion. That is, longitudinalfilaments X are disposed in two rows in the narrow portion of thevertical portion A which is to become the main body Aa, below which isdisposed a staircase-like portion Ab disposed in four rows, six rows andeight rows, respectively. Transversely extending lower left and righthorizontal portions D and E are formed each in five layers. Thetransverse filament Y1, inserted from the left below the longitudinalfilaments X, in the lowermost layer, moves upward while transverselyreciprocating over the entire width across the horizontal portions D andE and staircase-like portion Ab, passes from the upper right of thestaircase-like portion Ab to the back of the paper disposed one layerbelow, is inserted to extend side by side with the portion of transversefilament Y1 inserted during the upward travel, moves downward, whiletransversely reciprocating on the side associated with the back of thepaper, and reaches the left end of the upper surface of the longitudinalfilament E in the lowermost layer of the lower left horizontal portionD. On the other hand, the transverse filament Y2, forming the main bodyAa of the vertical portion, is inserted from the right side of thelowermost layer of the main body Aa and reaches the left end, whereuponit is wrapped around the locking filament T and inserted into the sameshed in the opposite direction. With this procedure repeated, filamentY2 moves upward and, each time it makes one reciprocating travel in thetransverse direction, filament Y2 is woven as it engages the lockingfilament T at the left end. When filament Y2 reaches the uppermostlayer, its movement changes to a downward zigzag movement and it movesdownward while engaging the locking filament likewise turned downward.

According to the invention, the number of transverse and verticalfilaments, disposed along longitudinal filaments, is 1-2 at the turns inthe uppermost and lowermost layers, and in the other regions two (2)longitudinal filaments alternate with one vertical filament. As aresult, there is no longer formed a longitudinal or transverse groovewhich had heretofore been formed in the lateral surfaces, or upper andlower surfaces, of a three-dimensional woven fabric; therefore, there isno possibility of a resin reservoir being formed to cause microcracks.Furthermore, long sized articles can be easily produced. In the casewhere a locking filament is passed through a turn on one side of atransverse filament disposed in one cross-section, owing to tension inthe transverse filament, the narrow portion of the width of dispositionof longitudinal filaments is prevented from being vertically elongated.Further, in the case where two or more transverse filaments are used,the strength and texture can be locally changed and a locking filamentcan be disposed only in a desired location.

A weaving machine suitable for weaving the type of fabric describedabove is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 12. In such machine,longitudinal filaments X are reciprocated through paths upwardly anddownwardly across the fabric being woven as the transverse filaments Yare inserted therebetween in horizontally reciprocating, verticallyprogressing paths moving in zigzags, adjacent vertical filaments Zdisposed between adjacent longitudinal filaments X, all of which isaccomplished by the manipulation of the needle H and reed R, see FIG.12, and the feed of X and Y filaments therethrough to loom L where suchfilaments are woven, three-dimensionally, with transverse filaments Y.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoingdescription are used as terms of description and not of limitation, andthere is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, ofexcluding any equivalents of the feature shown and described or portionsthereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possiblewithin the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed:
 1. A profiled cross-section three-dimensional wovenfabric having a plurality of mutually intersecting longitudinal,transverse and vertical filaments woven in longitudinal, transverse andvertical planes,said transverse planes being of differing width and saidvertical planes being of differing height within a cross-section of saidwoven fabric perpendicular to said longitudinal woven filament planes, awoven filament in said transverse filament planes moving from onetransverse plane to the next transverse plane after reciprocatingtransversely the longitudinal filaments in the width of the longitudinalplane traversed, a woven filament in said vertical woven filament planesmoving from one vertical plane to the next vertical plane afterreciprocating vertically the longitudinal filaments in the height of thevertical plane traversed, said transversely woven filament and saidvertically woven filament clamping said longitudinal filaments, unitingall of said woven filaments together into a profiled cross-sectionthree-dimensional woven fabric, wherein said woven fabric comprises aplurality of portions including at least an upper portion, a middleportion and a lower portion and is characterized in that an even numberof transverse filaments are included in each transverse plane of atleast one of said upper, middle and lower portions between longitudinalfilaments in said longitudinal planes and transversely between adjacentvertical filaments in said vertical planes, and at least one of saidfilaments is included in a loop formed by adjacent vertical filamentsabove the longitudinal filaments in the uppermost longitudinal plane andbelow the longitudinal filaments in the lowermost longitudinal plane. 2.A profiled cross-section three-dimensional woven fabric having aplurality of mutually intersecting longitudinal, transverse and verticalfilaments woven in longitudinal, transverse and vertical planes,saidtransverse planes being of differing width and said vertical planesbeing of differing height within a cross-section of said woven fabricperpendicular to said longitudinal woven filament planes, a wovenfilament in said transverse filament planes moving from one transverseplane to the next transverse plane after reciprocating transversely thelongitudinal filaments in the width of the longitudinal plane traversed,a woven filament in said vertical woven filament planes moving from onevertical plane to the next vertical plane after reciprocating verticallythe longitudinal filaments in the height of the vertical planetraversed, said transversely woven filament and said vertically wovenfilament clamping said longitudinal filaments, uniting all of said wovenfilaments together into a profiled cross-section three-dimensional wovenfabric, said fabric being characterized in that grooves are formed insurfaces of said woven fabric in portions wherein single filaments areincluded in transverse planes between longitudinal filaments in saidlongitudinal planes and between adjacent filaments in said verticalplanes, the fabric having at least a portion wherein such grooves areeliminated by inclusion of an even number of transverse filaments ineach transverse plane of such portion between longitudinal filaments inlongitudinal planes of said portion and transversely between adjacentvertical filaments in said vertical planes, and at least one of saidfilaments is included in a loop formed by adjacent vertical filamentsabove the longitudinal filaments in the uppermost longitudinal plane andbelow the longitudinal filaments in the lowermost longitudinal plane. 3.A profiled cross-section three-dimensional fabric according to claim 2wherein an even number of filaments are included in each transverseplane of at least one of an upper, a middle and a lower portion of saidwoven fabric to eliminate grooves in surfaces of said at least oneportion of the fabric, a single filament being included in transverseplanes of other portions of said fabric.
 4. A profiled cross-sectionthree-dimensional fabric according to claim 3, wherein an even number oftransverse filaments are included in said lower portion of said wovenfabric, and a single filament is included in a portion of said fabricabove said lower portion.
 5. A profiled cross-section three-dimensionalfabric according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said even number oftransverse filaments in said lower portion is included in a loop formedby adjacent vertical filaments below the longitudinal filaments in thelower most longitudinal.
 6. A profiled cross-section three-dimensionalfabric according to claim 3, wherein a locking filament is disposedalong one transverse lateral end edge in a cross-section of said upperportion of said fabric and the portion of said woven transverse filamentmoving from one transverse plane to the next transverse plane extendsaround said locking filament.
 7. A profiled cross-sectionthree-dimensional woven fabric having a plurality of mutuallyintersecting longitudinal, transverse and vertical filaments woven inlongitudinal, transverse and vertical planes,said transverse planesbeing of differing width and said vertical planes being of differingheight within a cross-section of said woven fabric perpendicular to saidlongitudinal woven filament planes, a woven filament in said transversefilament planes moving from one transverse plane to the next transverseplane after reciprocating transversely the longitudinal filaments in thewidth of the longitudinal plane traversed, a woven filament in saidvertical woven filament planes moving from one vertical plane to thenext vertical plane after reciprocating vertically the longitudinalfilaments in the height of the vertical plane traversed, saidtransversely woven filament and said vertically woven filament clampingsaid longitudinal filaments, uniting all of said woven filamentstogether into a profiled cross-section three-dimensional woven fabric,said fabric being characterized in that grooves are formed in surfacesof at least one portion of said woven fabric wherein single filamentsare included in transverse planes of said at least one portion betweenlongitudinal filaments in said longitudinal planes and between adjacentfilaments in said vertical planes, the fabric having at least anotherportion wherein such grooves are eliminated by inclusion of an evennumber of transverse filaments in each transverse plane of said anotherportion between longitudinal filaments in longitudinal planes of saidanother portion and transversely between adjacent vertical filaments insaid vertical planes, and at least one of said filaments is included ina loop formed by adjacent vertical filaments above the longitudinalfilaments in the uppermost longitudinal plane and below the longitudinalfilaments in the lowermost longitudinal plane.